Eastern Idaho growers will meet today at 1 p.m. at the Shilo Inn at Idaho Falls, ID, to continue sign-ups for a self-help potato diversion program.
Other meetings are set Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 2 p.m. at the Burley Inn, and in the near future in the Columbia Basin of Washington state.
Potato Management Company officials plan to purchase the surplus from growers and dispose of it in an orderly manner as fertilizer and for various charitable food needs.
PMC hopes that in taking out a portion of the 30 million cwt now in storage above what was on hand at this time last year a market will be developed for the balance of the crop. This in turn will help save Idaho farms and businesses.
In addition, disposing of the surplus during the winter months will avoid environmental problems resulting from rotting potatoes this spring and summer.
Gale Harding, Madison County extension agent, will give a presentation on correct methods of disposing of surplus potatoes.